The Equestrian Event
by ST1NGER E
Summary: When an artifact shrouded in mystery is stolen from the Canterlot Vaults without a trace, the hunt is on to find the culprit. However, it may turn out to be more of a strain on the investigators than was originally thought. If a simple theft could turn into a doomsday scenario Equestria has never seen, then what could possibly come as a surprise? More than you'd think.
1. Breaking and Entering

The night sky was crisp and clear. Moonlight poured in through the ornate windows and onto the cold marble floors of Canterlot Castle. The air was as silent as the shadows filling the halls. It was eerily peaceful.

" _Peaceful and boring,_ " thought the lone unicorn guard as he stared out at the stars. The steady _clip-clop_ of his hooves could be heard echoing through the stone halls as he continued his nightly rounds. It was a sound he had begun to hate ever since he was assigned the late shift.

" _It's always the same,_ " he continued to think to himself. " _Make a round, check the vault door, make a round, check the vault door. Eight hours every night and hope for a schedule change._ "

It's not like anypony was going to even make it to the secure vault in the first place. Considering it was at the heart of the castle, a thief would have to bust through dozens of guards just to reach the hall! Besides, if it really were so important, why would they assign only one guard? As he recalled, he hadn't even seen the inside of the vault!

He thought back to how he had joined the royal guard for the prospect of excitement and heroism. Fighting some monsters, protecting the citizens, even saving a beautiful mare or two. None of that had come to pass in his time of service, as most of the guards seem to have little duty other than standing at entrances to empty rooms, roaming the halls, and keeping their armor polished.

" _Half a year of training just to walk around an empty hall in the dark,_ " the guard scowled, taking off his helmet to scratch his mane. "Equestria's finest," he snorted. "What a joke."

The candlestick striking him on the back of his head seemed to punctuate his words a little too well.

As the guard slumped to the floor, a cloaked figure trotted past his limp form and onward towards the vault. The stranger looked upon the great steel door that stood before them.

A soft glow began to emanate from under their hood as the lock spun. The great passage opened with the slightest creak to reveal the treasures inside.

Gems, gold, artifacts, gifts from foreign lands all filled the massive chamber, all seeming to glisten under the light of the moon. Enough to buy an entire country, or bring one to it's knees.

The intruder strolled right past all of this and maintained a course straight for a small painting on the wall. Casually tossing it aside with a wisp of magic, a small hide-away in the stone was revealed.

Ever so carefully, a small metal cylinder covered in strange script levitated into the air.

It seemed to speak, as if to tell something of dire importance.

The thief excitedly stored the object in their right saddle bag, then quickly exited the vault, not caring to close the humongous door.

It no longer mattered, nothing mattered.

Everything was about to change.

Years of preparations would all come into play, and they would be one of the most crucial pieces on the board.

It was a thought that made them giddy with anticipation.

"Soon my brothers and sisters," the figure whispered aloud with a hungry grin. "These lands will burn in the holy light that is our great transformation. At last, we will be made whole."


	2. Experimentation

Twilight Sparkle stared intently at the daisy that lay on the wooden table. It had been picked earlier that day, just as the thirty two others before it had been. The surface of the table around the flower was blackened and scorched. She sighed at the reminder of earlier attempts at this project. A soft, purple glow emanated from her horn as she straightened a pair of lab goggles over her eyes.

Twilight glanced over at the young green and purple dragon in the corner. Her self-proclaimed "head-assistant," had adorned himself with pillows and hoofball equipment. A common practice of his when they were conducting one of Twilight's "experiments."

"Ready Spike?" Twilight asked, mustering any enthusiasm she had left.

"Just a sec," Spike replied as he dove behind an overturned desk. "Ready! Logging experiment attempt number thirty three!"

Twilight quickly consolidated her notes on a nearby podium before firmly bracing her hooves on the ground.

"Here we go," she mumbled to herself as she began to concentrate.

A brilliant stream of magic flowed from her horn and surrounded the daisy in a brilliant glare. Twilight had to squint her eyes as she put all of her focus on the flower. Beads of sweat were now forming on her brow and her teeth began to grind together. She could feel the thoughts of disappointment skittering in the back of her mind as the flower seemed unresponsive to the power engulfing it.

Suddenly, the daisy's stem began to grow longer, cells being born from nothing. Slowly, the roots followed, stretching out in a search for sustenance. After awhile, the flower was fully restored. The magic surrounding it quickly dissipated.

As Twilight slumped to her knees, panting rapidly, Spike hurriedly ran over to the table to investigate, taking notes as he observed the plant.

"You did it Twilight," Spike cheered. "We rep- I mean, you produced a successful regeneration spell!"

"And only after a few dozen tries too." Twilight let out an exasperated huff, placing the live flower in a nearby jar of water. "We were almost out of test subjects."

She looked to the clock on the library wall. Both hands were pointed skyward.

"Just in time for lunch as well."

"I'll go get some sandwiches from the kitchen," Spike said with a smile as he removed his protective gear. "Would you like hay with daffodil or -hic-... daffodil or -hic-... DAFFODIL OR -hic-"

That final _hic_ was accompanied by a loud belch of green fire from his mouth. A letter bound with the royal Canterlot seal rolled onto the floor.

"Why does that always happen at the worst times," grumbled Spike, rubbing his throat.

Twilight trotted over to inspect the letter, unrolling it with her magic and placing her safety goggles on the table.

"What does it say," Spike asked as he resumed his quest for food.

"It's a letter from Princess Celestia. It says here she requires my immediate assistance in Canterlot," Twilight exclaimed.

The clutter of utensils could be heard from the next room. "Does it say why she wants you to go?" Spike called out from the kitchen.

"If I had to guess." Twilight looked to the ceiling, rubbing her chin. "It would be to help out with preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration."

Her thoughts traveled back to the same event that taken place just a year earlier. The Summer Sun Celebration had been an anniversary of the defeat of Nightmare Moon, the fallen moon goddess who sought to bring eternal night. Though, after her "rehabilitation" by Twilight and her friends on the very same day, the celebration now marked the return of Celestia's sister, Princess Luna, who once again presided over the dark hours.

"Well, whatever the reason." Spike walked out with a brown paper sack. "You'd better eat something on the way there. Wouldn't want you to go hungry."

Twilight levitated her saddle bag, which was always at the ready, onto her back, smiling as Spike handed her the sack.

"Thanks Spike," she said as she placed her lunch into the bag's side pouch. "You okay with taking care of the library while I'm away?"

"No problem." Spike's arm shot to his forehead in a salute. "You can count on me Twilight!"

Twilight laughed as she opened the library door. "I'll be back soon."

With farewells attended to, Twilight began her walk to the train station, wondering what tasks may lie before her.

"Next stop, Canterlot Palace," she said said to herself, oblivious to the dark shadow that had been mingling with the bushes a few yards away.


	3. Investigation

It was two o'clock when the afternoon sun shone on Celestia's face. She took in the bustling hallway that surrounded her. Noise and images filled her mind with a flurry. Information flooded in from everywhere. It made it incredibly hard to think clearly, something the white alicorn was not fond of.

"A day filled with royal addresses and form approvals and this is the lowest point yet. Just my luck," Celestia thought to herself.

A light tap on her shoulder from somepony's hoof was enough to break her trance. The alicorn princess gave a quick shake of her head, rainbow prism mane flowing, and turned towards the hoof's owner.

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?"

Celestia took a moment to analyze the inquiring equine that stood patiently beside her. It was the captain of the royal guard, Searchlight, an experienced leader who had served many years under her rule. Celestia considered him a loyal friend and was glad he was the one to be leading this investigation. She suddenly recalled the discussion they were having.

"My apologies Captain, you were saying?"

Searchlight gestured towards a stallion being treated by a doctor over near the vault door. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, covering a large abrasion on the back of his scalp. Two guards stood on either side of the entrance to the vault, watching everypony that moved through the hall.

"That's the guard that was on duty last night," Searchlight continued in a gruff voice. "We questioned him about what happened, but he doesn't seem to remember much. Other than being knocked unconscious that is."

Celestia let out a sigh as she stepped into the vault.

"What do we know about what was stolen?" she asked.

"That's just it," the Captain snorted, looking at the adjacent wall. "A room filled with treasures and all the thief takes is whatever was hidden behind this painting." He gestured to an overturned canvas that lay on the tile floor.

"Do we have any records of what this artifact might be?" Celestia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If we do, we don't even know where to start." Searchlight tapped his hoof against the cold floor. "Though, Princess Luna did seem to have some recollection of what it might of been. She should be talking to one of the archivist as we speak. It sounded to me like she wants to know about what happened here as much as you do."

Celestia gave a small frown. The theft had taken place at night, her sister's domain, one that had been entrusted back into her care not that long ago. She could picture Luna now, furiously tearing through the archives, starlight mane flaring, deep blue eyes examining every document to a point. The fact that the event went completely unnoticed under Luna's watch was troubling. It would not be a mistake she would take lightly.

"Any idea of how the intruders made it this far without raising any alarms?" Celestia inquired.

Searchlight shook his head. "There are no signs of forced entry, no record of anypony leaving the palace, not even the slightest hint that there was a theft. Other than the obvious of course," he said, eyes turning back to the assaulted guard, who was now being led down the hall by a doctor.

"Any theories of your own?" Celestia asked, peering into the hole in the wall.

"None that you'd like," sighed the Captain. "If you ask me, I think there was only one thief. It may have even been an inside job. For all we know, the culprit could still be on the palace grounds." He gave a small shrug. "Other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

Searchlight turned to see one of the guards escorting a young purple unicorn into the vault.

"It looks like you have a visitor, Princess. I'll be here if you need anything." Searchlight gave a quick salute, before going to talk to a few other guards.

"Ah, Twilight," Celestia said brightly, trotting over to greet her student "It's good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Princess," replied Twilight, taken aback from the activity around her. "I came as quick as I could, but the trains were running slow today. What's happened?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," said Celestia, looking around the room. Of course the trains were slow today. She had ordered guards to check all ponies entering and leaving Canterlot. As Celestia's eyes passed over the hall, she noticed a tall, dark blue figure moving through the crowd. Celestia turned her gaze back to Twilight.

"Captain Searchlight can fill you in on the details. For now, I must discuss the matter with sister. Excuse me for a moment."

Celestia approached Luna at a steady pace, leaving Twilight to talk to the Captain. She was anxious to learn what her sister had discovered about the stolen item. The fact that Luna was here meant that she had at least come across something of interest. Of that much, Celestia was certain.

"Sister, we are pleased to see thee," greeted Luna, looking up at her older sister.

Despite the fact that they were both powerful and ancient alicorn goddesses, Celestia still stood almost a foot taller than Luna. Not that it mattered much to anypony else, considering they tended to intimidate any normal sized pony with their presence alone.

"Did you learn anything about the artifact that was taken?" Celestia asked promptly.

"We believe so." Luna replied coolly, observing the scene around her. "Though we find the information to be somewhat... disturbing."

She turned her attention towards the two ponies behind Celestia, a surprised expression forming on her face.

"We did not know that thou had sent for the young Twilight. Are thou certain tis wise to include her in such affairs?"

Celestia gave an obvious role of her eyes. "Yes, Luna. We could use her assistance with this problem. She is my greatest pupil and a trustworthy friend. And trust is a valuable commodity at moments like this."

"Of course sister." Luna gave a curt nod. "We only ask out of concern for thine student."

"Luna, remember how we talked about the way you speak?" Celestia asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "You needn't to be so formal anymore. A lot has changed in a thousand years."

Luna looked at the ground, rather embarrassed by her sister's remark. "We- I mean, I'm sorry Tia. I'll do better to remember."

Both princesses suddenly noted that Twilight had begun to walk towards them, having finished what little there was to discuss with the captain.

"Princess Luna." Twilight respectfully nodded towards the star-maned mare. "It's good to see you again. Did you learn anything from your visit to the archives?"

Luna gave a small smile in return. "It is good to see thee- I mean, you as well Twilight Sparkle. I was just about to go over the details with Celestia. Though, it appear that you will be joining us as well. If you would both follow me, I believe I have found something of interest."

The three ponies entered one of the archive's many chambers. It was a room filled with knowledge, centuries old. All of it recorded, yet much of it forgotten. At the front of the room, only a short walk from the entrance, there was a long table covered in ancient books and scrolls.

Princess Luna walked over to a particular book and lifted it with her magic, placing it on a nearby podium for the others to see.

"This is a record of events from a failed mining expedition that took place within the Everfree Forest," Luna explained as she flipped through the text. "The documentations that are within predate the founding of present day Ponyville by more than a millennium. It's amazing that they even still exist. Even I scarcely recall the events within myself."

"Wait," Twilight interjected, "aren't the oldest texts kept in deep storage?" Her bookworm personality was beginning to show. "How did you manage to find this so quickly?"

Luna nodded grimly. "That's just it, young Sparkle. This book was viewed recently. Perhaps even multiple times. It was lying out in the open." She gestured to a few sheets of parchment in the book. "Notice how the pages do not stick," the princess noted, turning through the articles. "This is not common with older texts in storage. And here as well. See how a reader marked pages of interest," Luna said running her hoof over a creased corner. "Although why they did not go to greater efforts to hide their research, I do not know."

"What was so interesting about this expedition?" Celestia asked, looking over Luna's shoulder. "And what does it have to do with the artifact?"

"I see you struggle to recall these events as well sister." Luna continued. "It says here that the mine was open for under a year and overseen by a team fifty strong. Surveyors detected high concentrations of gems, making it a valuable find. As excavation began, more readings began to appear unlike any ever recorded. Around this time, some of the miners reported sounds of a piercing whine. It only worsened as they continued digging. The team leads dismissed it as some sort of isolated paranoia, and had the workers continue, as scheduled."

Twilight cocked her head as Luna turned to the next page, noticing the hardness of the princess's gaze increasing.

"The miners soon came across some sort of cavern that they described as, 'Too perfect to be a natural occurrence.' In the center of the cavern was a pedestal. It was here that the miners found an artifact which had been dubbed, 'The Codex.' It was said to be a metallic cylinder, just over a foot in length. Foreign symbols had been etched into the surface. It was sent to the school of magic for study, then stored away at the Everfree castle archives. It must have been moved to the vault after Canterlot was built." Luna stopped to catch her breath.

By now, all three of the investigators were leaning to get a better view of the text.

"Is that all?" Celestia asked impatiently.

"On the matter of the artifact itself, yes," Luna replied, either oblivious of her sister's tone or uncaring of it. "It's what else they found that is disturbing." She turned back to the article. "Embedded in the floor around the pedestal, there were shards of red rock. These were covered in the same foreign symbols as the Codex. The miners who attempted to remove the shards all fell back in pain, clutching their heads. The records are scattered from there on. Some mentions of team members experiencing hallucinations, mass hysteria, acts of murder, suicides..."

Luna paused to compose herself. "Even reports of cannibalism. Only thirteen of the crew managed to escape the mine. It was sealed off from the world and forgotten. Until now."

They all stood wide eyed. The room was quiet enough to hear all of their hearts racing.

"But why would some pony take an interest in something so horrible," Twilight questioned, breaking the silence. "I mean, how would they even know about this incident? Not even you two remember it happening."

"That's what we need to find out," Luna stated matter-of-factly. "I propose that I go and examine the mine. Its location is provided by the text. If you are willing to come Twilight, I would gladly welcome the assistance."

"I'm always up for a little hooves-on research," Twilight said looking to the princess. "I'm in! That is... if you're okay with it Celestia."

Celestia slowly nodded her head, contemplating the situation. "Find out whatever you can, but be careful. Don't take any unnecessary risks. I'm needed here to handle the public. You should do well to head off as quickly as you can." She hesitated for a moment. "I would suggest that you be accompanied by a royal escort, but I have a feeling you would refuse such a notion."

Princess Luna gave a small smile. "You know me too well dear sister. Come Twilight," she said, walking towards the exit. "New discoveries await."


	4. Same Old Song

A harsh glow cast a multitude of shadows upon the cavern walls. Cables coiled around the legs of a folding-table, each leading to various metallic boxes. Atop the table sat a variety of flickering monitors, all giving off the steady hum of fans spinning furiously. One showed a video of a large tree house, in front of which was a sign with a book on it. Another flashed images of a castle gate with guards on either side. On a smaller screen was a flat waveform line labeled, " **ARCH.** "

A whistling melody could be heard over the hum of the machinery, coming from a corner of the room.

A tall dark figure sat hunched over a keyboard, fingers dancing in a flurry. Waves of numbers and symbols flew behind the glass in front of him as he whistled his tune. The fingers stopped for a moment as his eyes glided across the pieces of code. The figure then gave a hearty press to one final key as he turned to get up. The machine gave a small beep as a the symbols began to move on their own.

Walking over to a small chest resting on the ground, the creature glanced at the running screens, looking for anything of interest. The only movement was that of a couple of flashing red dots with the letters " **REC.** " next to them. He continued to whistle his little upbeat song as he flipped open the chest lid to reveal a pile of ice covering some metal cans, chilling inside.

Grabbing a can, he knocked the lid back down and pivoted to the monitors once again. A loud _**snap**_ echoed off the stone walls as the figure pulled the tab on top of the can. Taking a long swig from the metal cylinder, he tapped the continued beat of the song out on his leg.

"Dun da dunt da dun da dun," he muttered aloud, pulling the can away from his lips. "What was it called again?"

His eyes shifted to a blinking light on a dark monitor.

"You can remember every note, but you can't remember the name."

He ran his free hand through the dark blonde hair atop his head.

"Dun da dunt da dun da dun."

His hand reached for a remote on the table behind him.

"I think it started with a "P". Punter? That's not it. Porcelain, maybe? No, but I'm writing that one down for later." He flipped the channel on the monitor. "Sounds like a cool title for a song. Maybe even a book."

The screen that had caught his interest displayed what looked like an entrance to a cave with tracks leading into it. There were boards covering the entrance that were rotting and busted, leaving a rather large gap.

The creature tapped the remote against his chest in the beat of his song, pressing the same button each time.

A yellow bar marked " **VOL.** " grew on the screen. The soft whisper of a distant conversation could be heard.

The creature gave a quick glance to it's wrist, revealing a simple analog watch. There were no numbers, but he could see that it was almost eight o'clock.

The image of two ponies walking along the tracks was now visible on the screen. One was a purple unicorn carrying a brown saddle bag. The other was a taller, blue alicorn with a starlit mane. Both stopped a few feet from the entrance. They seemed to be debating over how to approach the situation at hand.

" _Or at hoof, as they would say,_ " the creature thought, grimacing.

"Welp, it looks like I've got guests," he said aloud, snapping of the monitor with a click of the remote.

Looking around the room, his eyes came to rest on a shard of red rock encased in a clear box.

"Though I should probably tidy up a bit first."

He resumed whistling his tune once more.

" _Now where did I leave that detonator_?"


	5. First Impressions

"I think it's safe to say that this is the mine we're looking for," said Twilight, examining a rotting warning sign. "I just wish we had found it a little sooner."

"If I recall correctly, it was _you_ who insisted we travel by hot air balloon," retorted Princess Luna, looking back the way they came. "It took us almost three hours to get to Ponyville, not to mention the time we spent walking here. If we had just taken my chariot..."

"No," Twilight interjected. "I've seen Rainbow Dash crash one to many times. I have no intention of experiencing it myself. In any case, we're here now."

"So we are," Luna said walked forward, carefully eyeing the boarded entrance. "Though, it may be that we are not the only ones. We should proceed with caution."

"Right." Twilight readjusted her saddle bag. "Let's get going then."

As both ponies entered the mine, light emanated from Luna's horn, cutting a path through the darkness. They followed the tracks that ran across the cold ground, neither uttering a word. The pair came to a sudden halt, as the tracks split into two paths leading different directions.

"Which way do we go now?" Twilight asked.

Neither path was marked.

"I'm not sure," replied Luna.

"Well, when in doubt, the right way is right," Twilight began to trot toward the path leading right.

Before she was able to take two steps in her direction of choice, the sound of a terrible roar filled the tunnel.

A wall of debris raced towards Twilight, billowing over the young unicorn as she tumbled to the ground.

The air, as well as her eyes, were filled with dust.

Her ears, filled with a loud ringing.

She thought she could feel something pulling at one of her forelegs.

Something began to push through the ringing. A new sound. Unlike the ringing, this one seemed to have purpose.

 _"Twilight,"_ it said.

The voice seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.

"Twilight."

There it was again, clearer this time.

The ringing was starting to go away.

 **"Twilight!"**

Twilight blinked opened her eyes, letting out a series of rasping coughs. When she was finally able to breathe again, she noticed a hoof resting lightly on her back. Twilight could just make out the face of the moon princess behind blurred vision.

"Are you alright?" Luna asked. Her eyes were filled with concern.

"I- I think so." Twilight stood up slowly, rubbing the grit out of her eyes. "What happened?"

"Something must have made the tunnel collapse," Luna answered, looking at the pile of rubble. "It appears as though your right way was not as you say, 'the right way'."

Twilight swung her saddle bag onto her back with a groan. "Joking aside, it looks like our only choice now is left."

Luna gave a sly grin. "Would you say that it is our only option, _left_?"

Twilight's head dropped down as she tried to stop her self from snickering. Despite almost being buried alive, Twilight was able to retain her sense of humor.

"Yes, it looks like left is right. Can we go now?"

"After you," Luna said, bowing mockingly, then added seriously, "That is, if you feel up to it."

"I'm fine, thank you," Twilight reassured her as she began trotting forward. "And I'd rather not wait around to be almost crushed again."

As the ponies continued forward, the tunnel began to grow in size. It seemed sturdy enough, considering it hadn't collapsed on them yet.

The tracks they had been following soon stopped, as the tunnel gave way to a spacious cavern.

Near the end of the tracks rested some discarded pickaxes and rail ties.

The cavern seemed to devour any form of light, making it quite difficult to see, even with the aid of magic.

"It looks like they didn't have time to even finish building the tracks," Twilight said, inspecting the discarded equipment.

"And these carts are filled with gems," Luna called out. "And more in the walls, waiting to be mined. The crew seemed to have left in quite a hurry."

"This cavern probably wasn't dug by the miners, but I question whether or not it's natural." Twilight began to wonder how deep they were. "How many team members did you say made it out?"

"Not very many. Only thirteen if I recall correctly. Though, I am curious as to what became of the workers that were left behind," Luna said, sifting through one of the carts.

"I don't think I want to know the answer to that question," Twilight replied walking, her gaze focused on the ceiling's curve. "Which way do you thi- _whoop_!"

Her sentence was cut short as one of her hooves caught on something, sending her sprawling to the ground once again. The light from her horn flickered out as she knocked her head against the stone floor.

"Twilight?" Luna called out into the darkness, her own light flashing about. "Are you alright? I can't see you."

"I'm fine," Twilight let out with a groan, her horn beginning to glow once more as she shook her head to get up. "I just tri-."

The sentence was never finished, as the unicorn's mouth had locked, along with the rest of her body as she gawked at the image before her.

Staring directly back at her was the skull of a pony.

Its own jaw hung open, as if it were screaming in pain.

The dark abyss that were its eye sockets locked with her living ones.

Or, at least one did.

The other was filled by the blade of the pickaxe that had been firmly lodged into it.

Twilight gave a startled yelp as she scrambled back onto her hooves. She barely noticed the princess was now standing beside her.

"It looks like you figured out what happened to the rest of the team," Luna said grimly, looking at the tormented figure.

"Wh- whe- where's the rest of him?" Twilight stuttered.

From the spine downwards, the skeleton had no remains to speak of.

Luna shined her light on the walls nearby, coming to rest in a dark corner.

"I suppose we could always try asking them."

Both companions' eyes fixed on the gruesome display that was previously shrouded by the darkness.

Dozens of skeletons cast disfigured shadows onto the walls behind them.

Most of the bones were cracked or broken.

Some rested in a tangled mess.

Others looked as if they had been clawing at the wall until their final breath.

"I'm not sure they'll be of much assistance though," the princess whispered, almost afraid of waking the resting souls.

It felt like an eternity before either pony dared to utter a sound.

"What could have done this?" Twilight murmured, breaking the silence.

"As you said," Luna responded, "I don't think we want to know the answer to that question."

"Why do I feel like we don't have the luxury of choice?" Twilight said, glancing over her shoulder.

She could've sworn she heard clicking.

"We should go. We need to find what we're looking for and get back to Canterlot as soon as possible," said Luna, who seemed to have regained her calm demeanor.

Twilight didn't buy it.

"Okay then." Twilight lifted her saddle bag from off the ground once again. "Let's find the main chamber."

Twilight stretched out with her magic, concentrating the light. After a few seconds, it found an opening to another passage in the wall.

"There." She took a step forward, then stopped. "Although, if it's not too much trouble, maybe you lead from here, Princess."

Luna gave a forced, yet comforting smile.

"Of course, Twilight. Just be sure to stay close."

Leaving the darkness to consume the ghastly sculpture once more, the two ponies continued their search on the newly found path.

As they walked, Twilight thought she could hear the clicking sound again. Except this time, it was louder and accompanied by a steady hum.

Just as she was about to ask Luna if she could hear it too, the clicking ceased.

Twilight strained to listen for the slightest hint of its existence, but could detect none.

She was so focused on her task, Twilight barely realized that the princess had stopped. As she was about to ask if something was wrong, Luna spoke first.

"Twilight," Luna whispered. "I think I may have found something."

The princess was looking at a large hole that had been dug through the rock. A faint glow seemed to be flickering against the stone walls inside.

"I guess you did," Twilight said, looking to see where the light was coming from. "Do you think it could be the thief's hideout?"

Luna didn't hesitate as she walked into through the entrance. "Only one way to find out."

The room was fairly large and the glowing light made it easy enough to see without magic. Strange shiny boxes rested on tables around the room. A few were connected to flashing pictures by black vines that ran along the floor.

"What is all of this stuff?" Luna asked, picking up one of the vines with her hoof.

"It looks like some sort of research equipment," Twilight said, her thoughts drifting back to her lab under the library. "Though I've never seen devices like these before."

She walked over to the table that had the most boxes resting on it.

"Look at how the image moves without a projector," she said tapping one of the pictures with her hoof, only to be met with the clink of a glass screen. "It's like looking through a window."

It took a moment before she realized what the image actually was.

"This- that's my house!" Twilight exclaimed, taking a step back. "And that's the palace entrance!"

"Whoever put this here must have been looking for something," Luna said, taking a shooting a glance at the images before walking over to another table. "Perhaps they were gathering information before the robbery."

Luna noticed what looked like a red rock encased in glass. She was about to speak up, but it sounded like Twilight had found something as well.

"Princess?" Twilight called out.

"What is it?" Luna turned to see the unicorn had stuck her head under a table.

"Does the term **'C4'** mean anything to you?"

Twilight was looking at a package, with what appeared to be a calculator and a blinking light strapped to it. Printed in block text on the side of the package were the characters **"C4."**

"Not that I know of," the princess answered, turning back to the red rock. "Why, is it something important?"

"Probably not," Twilight said, lifting her head from under the table. "What did you find?"

"I think it's one of the red shards that the miners discovered." Luna gestured to the case. "Whoever was here must have found one as well." She reached out with her magic and began to lift the case.

"I wouldn't recommend touching that if I were you."

Both ponies turned, startled by the sudden interruption.

"Who's there?" Twilight called out, searching the dark corners of the room.

"Now that could be a difficult question to answer."

The voice seemed to call out from everywhere. It sounded deep. Relaxed. As if it could have belonged to a stallion.

"I suppose it depends on who you think I am," the voice said.

"You sound like somepony who is going to a lot of trouble not to be found." Luna let her horn glow once again, searching for the source of the voice.

"Heh." The voice let out a light laugh. "I suppose that's a matter of both perspective and opinion. For instance, it is my opinion that I went to a lot of trouble to make sure that you did find me."

"What do you want?" Luna called out. "Show yourself!"

"Alright then, how about a little face to face?"

A bright light burst behind the two companions, blinding them as they turned.

"Whoops, sorry about that," the voice said.

The light dimmed by half, making it easier to see.

"Flipped both switches."

When their eyes had adjusted, Luna and Twilight saw a figure that now stood in front of the light. It wasn't a pony, but rather a strange creature that stood tall on two legs. The pair of arms it had were crossed over its chest, almost as if it was waiting for something. A head of short, dark blonde hair was accompanied by a face that had a tough, yet intelligent look about it. It was further accented by a strong jaw covered in a light stubble. The apparent lack of any natural coat was made up for by the clothing the figure wore. A grey, short-sleeved, button-down shirt covered its torso, while a dark pair of blue pants and brown boots took residence on its lower body. Two blue eyes twinkled with a sort of knowing amusement as they looked back at the ponies.

"I was told as a child it's rude to stare, but I can't help but feel flattered by the attention around here," the figure said, breaking the silence.

"You're not pony," Twilight stated, gawking at the creature.

"Well now," the creature said with a smile that seemed to be dripping with sarcasm. "You really are as smart as everyone says you are!"

Luna took a step forward. "Who are you?" she asked firmly.

The smile on the creature's face faltered a little.

"Ah, yes. My apologies your highness. I suppose it is time for a proper introduction, isn't it? Why don't we start with the five _'W's'_ , as I like to call them."

"The five _'W's'_?" Twilight asked, still trying to comprehend the situation.

"Who, what, when, where, and the ever elusive 'why' my purple friend," the creature listed off, pointing his finger at the Twilight after each word. "A formal beginning for us all, if you will. So, who wants to go first?"

Neither pony was quick to answer, both thrown off by the stranger's demeanor.

"Why don't _you_ start?" Luna replied, finally braving the question. Her gaze was sharp enough to cut steel. "Considering we seem to know absolutely nothing about you."

"Fair enough," the creature said, clapping his hands together. "Let's see, uhhh... Hello everyone," he said, giving a small wave. "You can call me Jay. That's what my friends call me."

There was a relaxed and friendly tone in this "Jay's" voice. It was unsettling to the ponies.

"I am obviously not from around here," Jay continued. "Umm... I am what you would call a human, or _homo sapien_ for you science types." He gave a small nod to Twilight, only to be a met with a moderately confused stare. He didn't seem to notice.

"I have been staying in Equestria for about six months now, and I came here to study rocks. Now, let me see..."

Jay counted his fingers for a moment. "Yeah, I think that was all five. This is fun! Who wants to go next?" He looked back and forth between the two ponies in front of him, a bright smile on his face.

In response, there was only an awkward silence. The two ponies glanced at each other, unsure of how to answer.

"Alright, alright," Jay said, holding up both of his hands. "Perhaps a little too forward on my part. Why don't we skip the middle and start with just the who and finish with the why?"

After a few seconds, Twilight took a timid step forward.

"I'm- My name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle." She looked back at Luna for any hint of direction and was rewarded with a small nod. "And this is Princess Luna."

She had begun to speak a little more confidently now, looking directly at her questioner.

"We're investigating the theft of a stolen artifact from the Canterlot vaults. The only information we had led us here." Twilight paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next.

"Do you mind elaborating on why we found _you_ here?" Luna asked, stepping in to aid Twilight.

"Hmm," Jay hummed as he scratched his chin. "Well, I suppose I do look rather suspicious. But alas, I am not the one you seek. Besides, I doubt I could have stolen that damned Codex even if I tried. On account of not being, well, a pony." He gave a quick gesture to himself, as if to confirm the statement. "Not the most inconspicuous form around here, know what I mean?"

"Wait," Luna's eyes narrowed into an accusing glare. "How do you know about the Codex if you're not the one who stole it?"

"Oh, I don't know." Jay reached behind his back and produced a small remote. He pointed it at the screen titled " **ARCH,** " and pressed one of the buttons. The sound of Luna's voice began to play from a set of speakers nearby.

" _It was here that the miners found an artifact which had been dubbed, 'The Codex.' It was said to be a metallic cylinder, just over a foot in length, and with foreign symbols etched into the surface._ "

Jay pressed the button again, pausing the sound.

"Just a lucky guess?" he suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

"How did you do that?" Twilight asked, astonished at what she had just heard.

Jay gave a smile. "Pretty easy actually. Just tagged one of the servant's bags at ye' ole fort with a microphone. Wish I could have used a camera, but they probably would have noticed the weight difference. Might have even caught your thief on film."

He reached into another one of his pockets and pulled out a small black dome, about an inch in diameter.

"I can make em' small, but not that small."

"You've been spying on us?" Luna's voice was as cold as the night was black.

"Just observing points of interest." Jay gave a wave to the multitude of screens before them. "Any place that may have info on your Codex. For instance, the library and the archive. Though, for the record, I did know what it was called before I set this stuff up, but only thanks to this little gem."

He walked over to the table where the two ponies stood, both of them stepping back to let him by. Jay reached past the glass case that covered the shard of stone and grabbed a brown journal.

"It was one of the miner's," he said, flipping through the stained pages, finally locating the one he wanted. "Ah, here we go!."

Clearing his throat, Jay began to read from the passage.

" _The Codex is not the source of the problems that plague us, as we had once thought. The red rocks of Tartarus are to blame for the corrupted souls of those around me. Their vile infection of the mind has killed many a friend. I have borne witness to the ghastly horrors of split heads and running blood as I myself hide from such a fate. I can hear them even now, chanting their damned words as they roam these tunnels. I pray to Celestia that they do not find what they are searching for._ "

Jay snapped the journal closed.

"That was his last entry." He walked over to a small chest near the table and opened the lid. "Funny how the color of blood changes over a few thousand years, eh?"

"Very well," Luna said. "That explains how you know what was stolen. But what were you doing here in the first place?"

"Like I said," Jay turned around, a metal can in his hand. "I came here to study rocks. Granted, they're very special rocks. Would either of you care for a drink? Cola perhaps?"

"Not at the moment, thank you," Twilight replied politely.

Jay gave a shrug and opened his can. "Suit yourself."

He took a long swig from the drink, setting it down on the table when he was done.

"Man, that's good stuff. It's nice out of a cold can, but nothing beats a good ol' fashioned glass bottle."

"What's so special about the rocks you're studying?" Twilight asked, still confused by the behavior of this "human."

"Okay, I guess it's time for a bit of exposition." Jay sat down in a chair next to a smaller monitor.

"First off, the most prominent reason I'm here is because of that little bastard right there." He pointed to the rock in the glass case. It seemed to glow faintly in recognition. "That is a fragment of a much larger bastard, known as a Marker." He waited for a few moments, looking back and forth between his two guests.

"Y'all obviously don't know what a Marker is. I probably should've expected that. Either way, Markers are big stone spires that look like two horns that are twisted together. The funny thing is though, a Marker isn't really made of just conventional stone. Twilight, what do you know about DNA?"

"Well, it's the building blocks of all life as far as we know," Twilight said, thinking back to her own research on the subject. "Why do you ask?"

"I ask," Jay continued, "because that's what a Marker is. A big tower of tightly packed, alien DNA. Not exactly sure where they originated from, but they seem to be all over the galaxy, acting as radio towers almost. You see, they send out a hefty signal that tends to turn those with a weaker mind a bit..."

The human gave a quick whistle and circled a finger next to his head.

"Not to mention the possibility of a few other unpleasant side effects. If one of these Markers is activated, its signal is boosted so it can interact fully with its environment." Jay picked up his can and took another drink.

"Sorry, I get a bit shaky when I dump this much info." He held up a wobbly hand. "Anyway, a Marker that was here in Equestria was destroyed a long time ago. By what, I've got no idea. Y'know this Codex that everyone is so focused on? It's a blueprint to build a Marker." Jay had begun to pace back and forth. "Well, more of a Rosetta Stone actually. A DNA translator, if you will."

"Which means?" Twilight asked.

"Which means, it can help you build a Marker or destroy one. User's choice really. That's why I'm looking for it." Jay got up and walked over to a black bag that was on the ground.

"So, whoever stole the Codex, they want to rebuild the Marker?" Twilight asked, still confused by the logic of such a plan.

"Well, either that, or they really think it would make a nice centerpiece. Can't say I blame them. The Codex really is a work of art when you think about it." Jay pulled a metal box attached to a round shaft out of the bag.

"Of course if you do happen to have a Marker and you can't find one of your handy translation rods lying around..." He casually tossed the device, along with a few other items, back into the bag. "You're caught in a bit of a pinch."

"What's that?" Twilight inquired, failing to get a closer look at the object.

"Oh just a little experiment. Another thing I don't recommend messing with," Jay said, zipping up the bag. "Along with the explosives you were sticking your nose in earlier."

"What explos- Wait a minute!" Twilight quickly spun around to look at the blinking package that she had found before. "You're saying that stuff explodes!?"

"Not unless I tell it to." Jay held up a small box with a switch on it.

"Why do you keep explosives underneath your desk?" Twilight shot a nervous look to Luna.

"I try not to make a habit out of it. Though, to be honest, I can't just leave this kind of tech lying around for someone to find," Jay explained, slinging the straps of four duffel bags over his shoulders. The weight didn't seem to bother him that much.

"Anyways, the warranty on this stuff goes out in like two days and I really could use a reason to write it off as a refundable expenditure. Besides, this mine is freakin' creepy. So, any excuse to blow it back to the hell from whence it came is my personal pleasure." Jay glanced at the ponies. "Not while we're still in here of course."

"Though it seems a tad eccentric, I must agree." Luna approached the human with a cautious manner. "It is better not to leave evidence if those who seek to build a Marker find this place. I take it you're planning on leaving now?"

"Kinda have to, no?" Jay replied. "Now that you know that I'm here, it makes it a little less awkward to be seen in public." He stopped for a moment and took a look around the room.

"Perhaps we could help each other out?" Jay suggested, turning back to face the ponies.

"How so?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, it's obvious you have no understanding of the current situation. Beyond what I told you that is," Jay said. "I propose a simple partnership. I help you with your investigation and you catch whoever stole the Codex."

"You're not going to ask for compensation?" Luna questioned, suspicious of the offer.

"No need to," Jay said. "I came to find the Codex. Now you need to as well. Why not work together?"

Luna contemplated the option, not giving an answer.

"We could use his help," Twilight whispered to the princess.

"Hey, take your time to think it over," Jay interjected. "For right now though, I suggest we leave. I can't remember if the C4 has a back up timer and I'd rather not stick around to find out."

"I suppose we should be off then," Luna said, shooting a look at the desk behind her.

"Oh, one other thing," Jay said, pointing at Twilight. "Could you grab that chest over there for me. Got my hands a bit full at the moment."

"Sure," Twilight said, using her magic to grip the handles of the container. "Now... how do we get out of here?"

Jay gave a hearty laugh, picking up a small flashlight from the table behind him.

"Sorry to say, but it's back the way you came."

If there had been any trace of a smile on Twilight's face before, it was gone now.

"Don't worry, nothing but the dark to be afraid of." Jay turned on the flashlight, which was surprisingly bright given its size. "I'll lead the way."

It wasn't but a couple of minutes before the group reached the chamber where the tracks had ended. Jay had been whistling the whole time, a tune that neither Twilight or Luna were familiar with. He stopped and stood for a moment when his cone of light found the array of bones that crowded the corners of the chamber.

"Heh, I'm gonna miss these guys." Jay gave a wave to the skeleton with the pickaxe stuck through its eye. "Jerry here most of all, the poor bastard."

Twilight didn't seem as happy to see the skeleton again as Jay was.

"He always was a good listener." Jay continued. "Though he could be a bit _picky_ , about the conversation topic."

Neither of the ponies seemed to find the humor in the situation.

"Oh come on you know that was funny!" Jay said laughing. "Say, whenever Jerry here tried to tell a joke, he didn't have a leg to stand on!"

The cave echoed with the laughter of the human. Jerry the skeleton just sat there, not seeming to be the least bit offended by the puns made at his expense.

"Please, oh please, for the love of Equestria stop!" Twilight groaned as the laughter died down. "That is beyond morbid! Can we just go? It's late and I don't like this place."

"Alright, just give me a second," Jay managed to say through broken laughter.

He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the miner's journal that he had read from earlier. He looked it over for a moment with a sad smile, the humor in his eyes replaced by a regretful sorrow.

"Rest easy, pal," said Jay as he set the journal down next to the skeleton, giving it a small pat.

He suddenly became aware of his company staring at him once again. He slowly stood up, shifting the weight of the bags he carried as he did.

"Let's get a move on then," Jay said.

As they began walking again, Twilight gave a final look back.

She thought she could hear the clicking again, but chose not to say anything.

Quickly, she hurried after the others, not wanting to be left behind.

After a few more minutes of being guided by the bright aura of Jay's flashlight, the trio was standing at the mine entrance, relishing the night air.

"Welp, here we are," Jay said, patting his pockets, finally pulling out the small remote with the trigger on it. "Who would like to do the honors?" He held the device out for the others to see.

"I'm not trained for explosives," Twilight said, scratching the back of her neck.

Luna shook her head. "Your work, your hoof."

Jay pointed at the princess and nodded. "You are absolutely right. 'Cept for the hoof thing. On account of the... hand... situation. Anyways." Jay tightened his grip on the detonator. "Three-two-one boom!"

With a flick of his wrist, Jay squeezed the lever on the side of the box.

The ground shook violently, a firm indication of what had just occurred in the depths below. It seemed to stop just as soon as it started, leaving only the sounds of the forest to be heard.

"Well," Twilight said, "That's... done with. What now?"

"I must return to Canterlot and report our findings to Celestia as soon as possible." Luna gave a small stretch of her wings.

"About that," Jay began, shoving the detonator back into his pocket. "You still haven't given me an answer about my offer."

Luna looked up at the dark sky. There were no stars over the Everfree Forest.

"Very well," she sighed. "I will discuss with my sister about finding a spot for you as a consultant. Expect to make an appearance before the court."

The princess turned to Twilight. "Will you be alright with our new... 'acquaintance'?"

"I think I can manage," Twilight said looking Jay over for the hundredth time that evening. "We should be able to make it back to Ponyville on our own."

"Right then," Luna said, addressing Jay. "Please understand that I am putting a tremendous amount of trust in you by letting you leave my sight. It is not something I do often. With that said, I bid thee farewell." Luna finished off her goodbye with a formal bow of her head.

"The pleasure was all mine, your majesty," Jay replied, returning the bow. "I hope we can all become the best of 'acquaintances' by the end of this."

"Perhaps," the princess said, spreading her wings. "We shall see." With that, she was off into the night sky.

"Well, I don't know about you," Twilight said after Luna was out of sight, "but I'm exhausted. We should probably make our way to back to town now."

"I suppose so," Jay said, beginning to walk through the forest. "Is there any place that you would recommend staying at? Maybe and inn or something? Preferably somewhere I wouldn't get arrested just for existing."

"You know," Twilight said, surprising herself. "You could just stay at the library if you want." She wasn't really sure if that was what she meant to say.

"Are you sure?" Jay asked. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"You might as well," Twilight continued, perplexed by her own voice. "I mean, I'm the only one who you know right now, and I've got a guest room in the back. Plus, I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on you. So... yeah."

"I don't know what to say," Jay smiled. "That's awfully nice of you Twilight."

"Well, I came to Ponyville to learn about friendship," Twilight said as they kept walking. "I guess we can just consider this... another lesson?"

"Fair enough," Jay said in agreement.

They walked in silence for a little while longer. Even though she knew almost nothing about this human, Twilight felt a burning need to ask him something.

"Um, Jay?" she said, having to lift her head up to see his eyes.

"What's up?" Jay replied, still focused on the trail ahead.

"Do you think something bad is going to happen? I just can't shake this feeling I have." There was a slight tremor in Twilight's voice.

Jay gave a light chuckle, looking down at the pony beside him.

"All I know is that _something_ is going to happen. Now if it's good or bad... Well, that's up to us to decide."

Twilight struggled to find comfort in those words.


	6. Hollow Home

It had taken Twilight and Jay only an hour and a half to make their way to Ponyville. Despite this, it was well into the night by the time they were even close to the library.

"Little quiet around here, no?" Jay asked, as he scanned the dark street, searching for signs of life.

Despite the fact that their route had taken them through much of the town, neither Twilight nor Jay had seen a single soul up and about.

"It's almost midnight." Twilight yawned "Not many ponies tend to stay out this late."

Twilight was rather exhausted from just levitating the large black chest for so long. She was certain that Jay must have been rather tired himself, though the baggage he carried seemed to be only a mild inconvenience. She had begun to suspect that this human was trying to show off.

"I suppose it's for the best," Jay said, taking a quick glance at his watch. "It'd be a bit difficult to explain why you're walking around with a six foot tall stranger in the middle of the night, eh?" They rounded the corner of a few buildings. "Looks kind of suspicious if you ask me."

Twilight could now see a familiar glow, shining through the window panes of the library. She had been trying to figure out how to explain the whole situation to Spike. Now she was wondering if he was even awake. Her thoughts were cut short by a sharp whistle. Jay was looking down at her with an amused expression.

"Sorry," Twilight said with a quick shake of her head. "Did you need something?"

"I asked if there was anyone I should know about before we head in." Jay smirked. "Though I suppose I know the answer to that question."

"Oh," Twilight replied. "Well, I dropped Owlowiscious off at the vet the other day, but Spike's still here. Though, he's probably passed out by now."

"And how do you think Spike will react to…" Jay gestured to himself with both of his hands. "This?"

"I guess we're about to find out." Twilight set the chest down on the library's front step and unlocked the door, which opened with a slight creak.

Inside the library, books were piled into small shelves carved out of the walls. A round table sat in the center, a wooden bust of a horse's head resting on it. Sets of stairs led to the upper and lower floors of the building.

"I don't think I fully realized that you live in an actual tree," Jay said, looking around. "Wonder how long it must have taken them to carve this out?"

"You get used to it after a while," Twilight said, dragging the chest behind her. "The living area is upstairs. I don't get many guests, so we'll have to make up your room."

"I've spent the past few months sleeping in a cave," Jay said. "I'd be fine with just the floor."

As they headed towards the stairs, Twilight paused. Setting the chest down once again, she turned to Jay.

"Maybe you should let me go up first," Twilight suggested. "If Spike is asleep, it'd be better if you didn't give him a heart attack. Just give me a chance explain the situation while you wait here. It'll only take a minute."

"Your house, your rules," Jay said, sliding the duffel bags off of his shoulders and onto the floor.

"Thanks." Twilight gave a nervous smile as she trotted up the stairs.

Jay watched until the pony's tail disappeared from view, then turned to examine the wooden shelves that surrounded him. Each was filled with books that seemed to be arranged in no particular order. The articles were stacked in disarray, some forming towers that could collapse at any moment. Jay had expected someone with a personality such as Twilight's to be more organized. As the human read the titles, he could hardly tell fiction from the factual works.

"Got anything that's _not_ about magical happenings?" Jay mumbled to himself.

Many of the books related to subjects such as spell casting, charms, artifacts, or mythical beings. As Jay eyed another row, a certain title stood out among the rest. Intrigued, he slowly pulled the book from its resting place, careful not to disturb its companions in the process. Jay turned it over to get a better view of the cover.

" _Equestrian Government and Law_ ," Jay read aloud. "Sounds important," he said, flipping through the table of contents.

A chapter titled, " _The Princess and Her Advisors_ ," seemed to be relevant to the current situation. As Jay thumbed through the book to the correct page number, he could hear a muffled conversation taking place upstairs. He began to read from the first section of the chapter.

" _Though it is common knowledge that the princess holds absolute power over final decisions made in our government, it may be less commonly known that assistance is provided in making such decisions. A court of six royal advisors offers insight on many proceedings, as well as serving as a substitute leading body if the princess is absent or indisposed for a period of time. The council was designed to allow the equal representation of all three pony races, being comprised of one mare and one stallion from each race. These representatives are elected by the public every five years and may run for election as many times as they wish. Many ponies who run have a better chance of election based on past political prominence. One of the most notable examples in recent history is Iris Scroll, a unicorn advisor who has served for twenty-one consecutive years at the time of this book's printing. Scroll has been cre-"_

"Jay!"

A voice called from upstairs, pulling Jay's attention away from the article.

"Be right there!" Jay called back. He set the book down on the nearest duffel bag and made his way up the steps.

When he reached the top of the stairs, Jay gave a quick look around the room. He saw Twilight standing next to a small basket, carrying on a hushed conversation with a short purple and green dragon. Though he had been called for, no one else in the room seemed aware of Jay's presence. He cleared his throat to get the others' attention. Twilight gave a surprised glance to where the sound had come from.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, turning to face Jay. "Spike… this is Jay, the umm…" Twilight debated for a moment on what she should say. "The… guy… I was telling you about."

While Twilight was struggling to speak, Spike was tilting his head back just to see the stranger's full figure. He wore an expression that wasn't necessarily surprise, but more of a confused interest.

"Uh, hi." Spike took a small step forward. "I wasn't quite sure what to expect when Twilight was telling me about you."

"So." Jay smiled "What do you think?"

"You're big," Spike stated flatly, walking over to stand next to the human. His head only came up to Jay's knee. "And kind of strange looking too." Spike tugged at Jay's pant leg.

"Spike!" Twilight scolded the dragon. "Don't be rude."

"Oh, come on, Twilight." Jay smiled. "You were thinking the exact same thing when you first saw me. Besides, I got a feeling that I'm going to receive that reaction a lot over the next few days."

"Not until we get the princesses' approval," Twilight reminded Jay. "Until then, it's probably best if you stay here."

Jay just shrugged and walked back toward the stairs. "In that case, where should I put my things?"

"The guest room's next to the bathroom." Twilight motioned towards a small hallway behind her. "I'll start getting it ready, and you can get your stuff."

"Right, I'm on it," Jay said. "Oh, one more thing, that chest you brought in. Do you mind if I put it in the basement? Just so it's out of the way."

Twilight thought the question over for a moment, sensing suspicion in the request. Jay on the other hand, just looked at her, smiling. Twilight eventually nodded in agreement.

"Thanks," Jay said, giving Twilight two thumbs up. "I'll get to it then."

"I could help if you wanted," Spike said, bounding after Jay.

"That'd be much appreciated," Jay said, noting the enthusiastic behavior of the young dragon.

As both of the boys went downstairs, Twilight opened the guest room door, shaking her head. Something didn't feel right. She was certain that there was more to what was happening than Jay was letting on. Albeit, he did reveal information that they were not aware of previously. Besides, he did seem rather friendly. Sure, he was strange, possibly psychotic, but still friendly.

Twilight let out a yawn as she rearranged the clutter of the room to make it somewhat accommodating. Whatever she needed to hear, it could wait until morning.

"Geez," Spike huffed, struggling to hold up his side of the chest. He and Jay were only about halfway down the basement staircase. "What's in this thing, a body?"

Jay faked a nervous laugh as he backed down the steps. "Wha- _Nooo_. Why would you suggest something so absurd?"

Spike grinned, raising his eyebrow. He didn't seem to be as put off by Jay's morbid sense of humor as Twilight had.

"Besides," Jay said, speaking normally once more. "There's a lot of better ways to get rid of a body."

"So what's really in it?" Spike asked, making sure his foot would land firmly on the next step.

"Ah, just some research equipment. Expensive stuff that I don't want damaged," Jay answered.

"Oh, okay," Spike replied, his interest somewhat dimmed now.

After both dragon and human had stumbled down the last few steps, Jay took a moment to survey the room. Setting the chest down in nearby corner, Spike rubbed his back with a greatly exaggerated look of pain on his face.

"I think I pulled something. You're not going to ask me to carry any of those bags, are you?" Spike groaned.

"Not unless you offer to," Jay said, still looking around. "Twilight run some sort of experiments down here?"

Along one of the room's walls, an assortment of bulky machines crowded together. Metallic grey pipes tangled with the library's roots that jutted from the lab's ceiling. Jay eyed a large container of bubbling green liquid. He was hard pressed to infer its purpose.

"Or do you just have a fancy boiler system?" Jay turned to examine what looked like some sort of polygraph machine.

"A lot of this stuff was actually down here when we got to Ponyville," Spike said. "Twilight usually does most of her magical experiments upstairs." He frowned, scratching the back of his head. "Or outside if they could get a bit, uh…"

"Volatile?" Jay suggested as he started back up the stairs.

"Yeah!" Spike chuckled, following behind Jay. "Let's go with that."

When they were both out of the basement, Spike turned to lock the door behind them.

As he was reaching for his bags, Jay glanced over at Spike, who had placed the key to the basement behind a stack of books on a nearby shelf. Jay looked back down and noticed the book he was reading earlier and smiled.

"Hey, Spike," Jay called over to the dragon. "Would Twilight mind if I were to read this?" He picked up the book and tossed it to Spike.

Spike caught the book, nearly dropping it, and looked at the cover.

"Probably not," Spike said, shrugging. He tucked the book under his arm. "Why? You interested in politics or something?"

"Well," Jay said, slinging the duffel straps over his shoulders. "The princesses are supposedly discussing whether or not to accept my offer." He started up the stairs. "I've got a feeling that I'll need to plead my case at some point in order to convince them. So, it'd be to my advantage if I had at least some knowledge on your judicial system. Or, whatever institution you've got around here."

"I guess that makes sense." Spike trailed behind Jay as they made their way to the guest room.

"Really?" Jay asked. "Twilight seems confused by almost everything I say."

Spike let out a small laugh before he continued talking.

"Twilight said you've already met Nightm- I mean, Princess Luna. What's she like?" Spike asked, inquisitively.

"You haven't met her?" Jay replied, somewhat perplexed.

"Well, only once." Spike sounded embarrassed. "After Luna was reformed, Celestia announced her return with a small celebration. I didn't really talk to her, though. Being that the whole 'eternal darkness' thing was still fresh on the mind, you know?"

"Not really," Jay said, reaching the top of the stairs. "Not familiar with a lot of history around here. As for Luna though…"

Jay stopped and thought for a moment before facing Spike.

"Kind of interesting, actually. She's straight to the point, gets the information she wants, and is certainly not intimidated. I especially liked that." Jay smiled. "Can't wait to meet her sister."

The sound of a closing door indicated Twilight's presence. Spike and Jay turned their attention to her.

"The room's made up," Twilight announced. She looked exhausted.

"Thanks," Jay said. "Guess you should get to sleep then. I can manage from here."

"That's a good idea," Twilight said, yawning. "Just don't cause any asleep while I'm trouble." She stumbled up the nearby stairs and onto the loft that overlooked the room. "Goodnight, Spike."

"Uh… Goodnight, Twilight," Spike replied, watching the unicorn collapse onto her bed.

"Night, Sparkle," Jay said as he began to leave.

"Oh, wait," Spike said. He held out the book Jay had given him. "Wouldn't want you to forget this."

"Thanks," Jay said, taking the book. "I guess I'll take my leave then. Sleep well you two."

"Yeah, you too," Spike said. He began to extinguish the lamps around the room.

After Jay shut the door behind him, he stood perfectly still, listening to the sounds outside the room. When the last bit of light that flickered under the door had disappeared, he looked around.

The room was rather simple in its décor. A small wooden dresser resided against one wall, books and other clutter surrounding its base. An equally plain nightstand sat adjacent to a twin size bed. Atop the nightstand was a burning oil lamp, which provided most of the light in the room. In the farthest corner from the door was a faded green chair, which sat next to a small window that looked out toward the direction of the library entrance.

Jay took all this in with little interest as he slid the straps of his bags off his shoulders for the last time that night. He tossed the book onto the bed and stretched his arms, high above his head. It suddenly occurred to him that he had forgotten to take advantage of the bathroom amenities before he had excused himself. Not wanting to disturb his hosts, he reached into the back left pocket of his pants and pulled out a bent rectangle with a silver wrapper and held it up to see.

"Hello spearmint, my old friend," Jay said.

He unwrapped the stick of gum and popped it in his mouth. Returning the wrapper to his pocket, Jay walked over to the bed and sat on its edge. It was relatively comfortable and seemed large enough for the human to use. Kicking off his boots, he lay down and picked up the book.

"Let's see what else you've got for me," Jay said.

Flipping through the table of contents once more, Jay saw another chapter that piqued his interest and turned to the page entitled, " _Punishment in Accordance with Law_." As he skimmed through the chapter, Jay began to suspect that the Equestrian Judicial System didn't see much action. Most issues were resolved between the victim, (if you could call them that), and the accuser. Those that weren't were given only a light punishment at best. A few serious crimes seemed demanded imprisonment or banishment, though these were scarce. Jay continued his scanning of the chapter until he reached a short selection that stood out in the most obscure way.

" _Capital Punishment_ ," Jay read, raising an eyebrow. "One of these things is not like the other one," he mumbled under his breath before reading the section.

" _Though it has not been used in over a millennia, capital punishment, (also referred to as, 'the death penalty'), has not been removed from the list of sentencing applicable to criminals. Whether or not the sentence will be removed has not been discussed for some time, due to the unpleasant nature of the subject."_

Jay snapped the book shut as he remembered something. Setting it on the nightstand, he got up and walked over to one of the bags lying on the floor. He opened it and pulled out the small laptop that he had been using in the mine. Standing up once more, he went to the green chair near the window and sat down. Jay flipped open the laptop and waited for it to turn on.

" _Let's hope we get a signal,"_ he thought.

The screen filled the room with a brilliant light. Jay quickly turned down the brightness to avoid being blinded. A quick glance to the connection meter showed that he did in fact have a signal. He opened up a tab and began typing.

" **Checking in. Access code: BLACKLIGHT. Are you receiving?"** Jay pressed the enter key and watched the blinking white cursor.

It was only a few seconds before he received a response.

" **Transmission clear. Status?"** The words appeared on the screen in a light blue text.

" **Ahead of schedule,"** Jay typed. " **Forced to make contact. Recommendations?"**

It took a little longer for the next message to arrive.

" **Situation noted. Recommending 'Sleeper Protocol.'"**

Jay shook his head and gave a small frown.

" **Negative. Situation level: CRACKED-SHROUD. Requesting 'VISIONARY' preparation."**

" **Understood. Request for 'VISIONARY' deployment confirmed. Send coordinates when ready. Anything further?"**

Jay thought for a moment before he replied.

" **Any change in the signal?"**

" **Fluctuations detected. Signal strength still reading below average. No infection detected."**

" **Keep me posted. Signing off."** Jay read what he had typed, then added: " **Goodnight, ICE."**

" **Goodnight, sir."**

Jay shut the laptop and put it back in the bag. Unbuttoning his shirt, he got into the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"This one's gonna be interesting." Jay smiled and closed his eyes.


End file.
